How 4 Allure Editors Style Their Curls All Week

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There's a lot of talk about first-, second-, and third-day hair when it comes to curls. But where one woman's coils may pouf and grow after a couple days, another's may stretch and turn limp. Here's how four Allure editors style, maintain, and reset their curls throughout the week.

__A Mix of Loose and Spiraled Curls
(Curl Type 2c/3a)__

Chloe Metzger, Editorial Assistant

DAY 1

"I usually have good curls the first day, and by the second, they've fallen," says editorial assistant Chloe Metzger. "It's cool, though, because I can pretend I have wavy hair." To prep for day-one curls, Metzger shampoos (Aveda Be Curly Co-Wash), conditions (Dove Quench Absolute Conditioner), and rakes Beyond the Zone Noodle Head Curling Creme through her sopping-wet hair. Then there's a squeeze and a scrunch with some Herbal Essences Totally Twisted Curl Boosting Mousse and sleep. Her morning routine is much simpler: "I just rake through my roots for volume."

A Mix of Loose and Spiraled Curls

DAY 2

Some people cook dinner after work. Metzger whips up a nighttime hair recipe—Dove Quench Absolute Supreme Crème Serum, Herbal Essences Totally Twisted Curl Scrunching Gel, and water—that she mists all over her head to reactivate her curls before bed. Cue the alarm, as well as the dry shampoo. "I like the superpowdery ones from Rene Furterer and Batiste, because I don't want a sticky texture," says Metzger. She hydrates her ends with John Frieda Frizz Ease Secret Weapon Touch-up Crème, and then it's soft waves for the rest of the day. "I can never get to day three. It's the most disgusting mess."

__S-Shaped Spirals
(Curl Type 3c)__

Sonaiya Kelley, Assistant Web Producer

DAY 1

Assistant web producer Sonaiya Kelley washes her thick curls three times in a row, "because I use so many products," she says. That means three rounds with Schwarzkopf Professional BC Oil Miracle Shampoo, followed by OGX Renewing Moroccan Argan Oil Conditioner and then an ORS HAIRepair Nourishing Conditioner that she doesn't rinse out. She chases that with another trio: Simply Smooth Xtend Keratin Reparative Magic Potion Curly, Miss Jessie's Pillow Soft Curls, and Trader Joe's Organic Virgin Coconut Oil. "I put all my hair up into a tight topknot at night [every night] and fluff it in the morning—it takes the whole next day to fully air-dry."

S-Shaped Spirals

DAY 2

On day two, "it's fluffier, so I don't have to do much to it, just put water in my hands and run it over the top of my hair to reactivate the curls," she says. By day three, Kelley's hair is even bigger. "If I didn't hate buns so much, I'd wear my hair in one, but instead, I just come to work looking insane," she says. (Editor's note: She's the only one who thinks that. We all think she looks great, but whatever.) "That's the day I overcompensate with makeup."

__Fine Ringlets
(Curl Type 3a)__

Lexi Novak, Associate Beauty Editor

DAY 1

I get three days out of my fine curls, and you can always tell exactly which day I'm on based on how they look. Day one is the only day there's even a chance my hair will be down. After shampooing, conditioning, and employing a four-product styling routine at night, I fluff and shake my curls awake in the morning and then hit them with Sachajuan Volume Powder for a little more life.

Fine Ringlets

DAY 2

I love Living Proof Curl Defining Styling Cream to keep my ringlets intact for two nights, but I usually run water over them on the second day to get some spring back. Then it's up into one of my signature updos—I've been pinning and clipping my hair in various curly poufs since high school. And even if my curls don't technically need it, I can't leave the house with a shot of hair spray. (My current favorite is R + Co Vicious Strong Hold Flexible Hairspray.)

Fine Ringlets

DAY 3

It's almost a lost cause at this point, but I can't bring myself to shampoo that frequently. I usually eke one more day out of my curls with a classic combination: dry shampoo (Klorane Dry Shampoo With Nettle) and a topknot.

Tight Coils

Nicole Chapoteau, Accessories Director

DAY 1

Accessories director Nicole Chapoteau preps her tight texture to last anywhere from three to five days. We'll let her explain her carefully honed system: "I cleanse with apple cider vinegar and ORS Curls Unleashed Rosemary & Coconut Sulfate-Free Shampoo. I'm also really into the Mielle Organics Babassu Oil Mint Deep Conditioner. Then I rinse and use the Mielle Organics White Peony Leave-In Conditioner or Kinky Curly Knot Today, followed by a little hair oil. I top it with Mielle Organics Moisturizing Avocado Hair Milk." After she sleeps with her hair in two or four giant twists, Chapoteau wears her curls in a ponytail for a full day to let it air-dry.

__Tight Coils
(Curl Type 3c/4a)__

DAY 2

At the end of day 1, Chapoteau piles her curls into a loose ponytail on the top of her head (a technique called pineappling) and wraps a scarf around it while she sleeps. "The next day, I'll shake it out and wear it down, and I'll keep doing that every day until it looks extremely dry, even after I spritz it with more Avocado Milk," she says.